Matters of the Heart
by angelcreature13
Summary: The long-term rivalry between Harry and Cassandra ran deep, as they couldn't even be within a foot of each other before they started an argument. Would a sudden event, leaving them stranded in a town without parents, prove that they have more in common than they thought? (Basically an AU of episode 1 where Harry finds Cassandra at the pharmacy instead of Gordie)


**Okay, before you read any further, I would like to say this. This is a fic about the potential relationship of Harry Bingham and Cassandra Pressman. If you do not like them together, you DO NOT have to read this. Just because you dislike the pairing, DO NOT leave a negative comment or talk about how you ship him with someone else. Okay? Okay. For the rest of you, please enjoy the story! :)**

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Luck had never really been on her side. Not when it came to her health. She seemed to be lucky in every other regard except for that. Because of her disease, she lived in constant fear of one thing:

_Death_; it seemed so final, and hung in the air as if it was constantly watching, waiting to engulf her.

Technically, she's felt this way for most of her life. It began with the day she was diagnosed with her heart disease at the tender age of 9 years old.

Now, stuck in a parallel universe with neither of her parents to lean on for support, she was more scared than ever.

"C' mon!" Cassandra pleaded, aimlessly trying to open the gate where the prescription drugs were kept in the town's local pharmacy. She was running out of time. She felt herself getting weaker and weaker, and wasn't sure how long she had before she would pass out due to exhaustion.

She again pulled and banged against the metal bars, but nothing seemed to work. She let out a pained groan, frustrated and tired. If she had her medication on her, she wouldn't be in this predicament. But after everything that'd happened in the last twenty-four hours, her brain was scrambled, trying to find out where they are, what exactly happened to them, and how to get back home.

And they still didn't have a clue to either of those answers.

She banged on the metal bars once more, realizing she lacked her strength. A few tears escaped her eyes as she mentally scorned herself for not bringing Allie along with her. She knew that in these times, Allie was the one she could always depend on.

Cassandra began thinking about where she could be, and how she could reach her since her phone was left at home.

She was so lost in thought that she failed to hear the door of the pharmacy open, along with slow footsteps moving towards her, indicating someone else was in the store.

She also failed at hearing the pretentious scoff that echoed behind her before the person spoke.

"_No fucking way_."

She froze, knowing that voice all too well. _Why, why did it have to be him?_

"Miss Student Council President, breaking into a pharmacy?!" he asked, obviously amused.

She sighed heavily. "Harry please, not now."

"Why, pray tell, is Cassandra Pressman trying to get prescription drugs? To satisfy a drug addiction perhaps?"

She quickly glanced behind her, eyeing her longtime rival. "None of your fucking business Harry."

"Wow. All this shit about me abusing drugs, and here you are, being a fucking hypocrite." he spat bitterly.

"You don't know what you're talking about," she said defensively.

"Don't I?" he asked, walking towards her. "You walk around like you're so perfect and you never do anything wrong when in reality, you're just as screwed up as the rest of us!"

She felt the air suddenly getting hotter, and she struggled to take her next breath.

"Please," she begged, "Just please help me get this stupid gate open. I'll explain everything later."

Harry contemplated before answering. "What's in it for me?"

"Are you _s__erious_ Harry?!" she asked, appalled at his question. Did he ever take _anything _seriously?

"Yeah, seriously. I think I deserve something for helping you with this little…' problem.' Unless you want to risk your little secret getting out."

She hated how smug he sounded as if he'd finally won something against her. He made _everything_ a competition, and she'd had enough of it.

Stepping away from the gate, she faced him, her eyes shooting daggers at him, raising her voice as much as she could. "For fuck's sake Harry, I don't need this from you right now. Either help me or just leave!"

She saw his facial expression change almost immediately. For once, Harry didn't respond, but merely stared at her, ashen-faced. Cassandra couldn't understand what could have him so stunned; her outburst couldn't have surprised him that much.

"The fuck are you staring at?!"

"What, why are-" he sputtered, swallowing a lump in his throat. "Cassandra, your lips...they're blue."

She touched her lips, as they were, in fact, cold to the touch and a shiver suddenly ran through her. It was happening, a bit too fast for her to realize.

"Please take me home," she begged meekly.

"Wait, what the hell is happening? Are you sick?"

"Just take me home, call Allie, please-" she barely had time to finish her sentence before her legs gave out.

Harry froze in place as he watched Cassandra slowly sink to the floor. He couldn't will himself to move; he was in shock. This whole scene looked all too familiar to him. It reminded him of the day he found his father. As soon as he saw him laying on the floor, he couldn't move. He tried to yell for his mother but his throat closed up. He wanted to run to the phone and call 911 but it was if his feet were stuck to the ground. The whole scenario just didn't seem _real _to him. He didn't snap out of it until his mother found them and screamed at Harry for just being stationary, doing nothing to help his ailing father.

_Harry, what are you doing?! Don't just stand there!_

_Do something Harry!_

_DO SOMETHING!_

He eventually came out of his trance after hearing Cassandra let out a few whimpers and rushed over to her. Feeling her forehead, he could tell her temperature was dropping. He quickly picked her up and began to run with her to her house, hoping he still remembered the way there.

He wasn't sure what was going to happen next, but he prayed to God that someone would be home. The last thing he needed was to be blamed for whatever was going on with her.

Cassandra could feel the strong grip he had on her sides with his rough, calloused hands. Her vision was blurry, and she could feel herself drifting in and out of consciousness.

"Stay awake Cassandra. Jesus Christ, don't die on me." she heard him mutter, which confused her. _Why would he care if she died? He hated her._ But somehow, his words were enough to make her force herself to stay awake.

He made it to the house in just a few minutes and yelled for Allie to let him in.

The door opened and Allie froze at the scene in front of her. "What the hell- what happened? What did you do?!"

"Nothing!" Harry assured, walking towards the living room sofa. "I found her in the pharmacy trying to break into the storage room where they keep medication."

Allie's eyes widened immediately. "Shit, I forgot to tell her I have her meds. Lie her on the couch and I'll go get them!"

He did as he was told while Allie ran upstairs to collect her medication from her bag. He made sure that she had a blanket draped around her to help warm her up. Looking at Cassandra now, as she laid on the couch, abnormally still, he was aghast.

He had never seen her so vulnerable. Her skin was in a full cold sweat, her blonde hair damp, bangs sticking to her forehead. Her eyes weren't as bright as usual, her lips were trembling, and her voice was barely above a whisper.

Every other time he had seen her, she was confident, lively, and a bit pompous in his opinion. She walked with purpose, always spoke with a strong, assertive voice, and her hair was either curled cascading down at her shoulders, straightened, or placed into a neat ponytail.

The Cassandra laying on the couch was not the Cassandra he knew.

"Are you done staring at me?" she asked, clearly annoyed.

"Sorry, I-um, sorry." he stammered. Luckily, she didn't get a chance to reply due to Allie entering the living room with her medication bottle and a glass of water in hand. She set the items down and proceeded to open the bottle, shaking a single pill into her sister's waiting hand.

Cassandra quickly took the pill Allie gave her. She neatly put it on her tongue, carefully put the glass between her lips, and took a gulp of water, swallowing the pill.

Harry couldn't help but shake his head, both in awe and in irritation. How is it, even in her current state, she could be so precise, so meticulous in her trajectory, for something as simple as taking a pill?

_She had no right to be this skilled at everything she does._

Allie exhaled after seeing Cassandra begin to breathe easier. Harry too felt a weight lifted off his shoulders; he realized that he had also been worried about her.

Allie walked over to where Harry was sitting. "Listen, I have to go to the hospital and get some things for her. Can you please just stay here until I get back?"

Harry groaned. "Can't you ask one of her friends-"

"Does it look like she has many friends?" Allie interjected. He quickly looked at the older blonde girl on the couch. He knew that he had seen her with friends, or at least people that she associated with at school, but caught the fact that he never actually saw her hang out with anyone outside of school, let alone attend any parties or social gatherings.

"Not even Helena?" he wondered.

"She's more of a school friend than a close friend." she clarified. Seeing Harry's expression change, she continued. "I'll only be about ten minutes. Can you stomach her until then? Please?"

He rolled his eyes. "Fine," he conceded, and she quickly left through the front door, closing it behind her.

He let out a deep sigh, scanning the interior of the house out of boredom. It was quaint; most of the furniture looked worn, and the rooms were smaller than his own.

Pictures of the two sisters along with their parents spread out around the house. Some on top of the fireplace, others by the TV, on the wall, and tables, including some with their cousins Sam and Campbell Eliot. It felt more like a home, while his house felt more like a hotel, especially after his dad's passing.

"I hope you're not silently judging our house," Cassandra commented, sitting up from the couch and looking in Harry's direction. "We're not all rich, you know." Her skin had regained some color, and her lips once again were a warm pink. Not that he was looking at her lips. Definitely not.

He chuckled at her. "I wasn't. I was thinking about how much more welcoming and hearty it feels compared to my house if you can believe it."

"Oh I believe it," she deadpanned. _And the Cassandra he knew had returned, as snarky as ever._

He rolled his eyes. "Forget it."

Realizing her mistake, she backtracked. "Sorry, I'm just so used to us arguing all the time it kind of came out involuntarily." He looked at her, seeing the glint of regret in her eyes. "I'm guessing your life isn't so perfect after all?"

His expression was guarded. Sure, they have proven they can go a few minutes without ripping each other's heads off, but that doesn't mean he has to share how he's feeling with her, right?

"I'm sorry, again. Dammit. I shouldn't have-"

"No, you're right," he blurted before he could stop himself. "Ever since my dad died...my home life has been difficult. My mom is barely home, so I'm left to care for my younger sister, but you know what that's like."

Cassandra's lips formed a genuine smile at his words. Is she sharing a moment with Harry Bingham, of all people?

"I never really shared my condolences for you. I can't imagine what losing a parent feels like, so I'm sorry for your loss," she admitted sheepishly. "I don't think abusing drugs is the best way to handle it though."

There she goes again, trying to tell him what to do. Okay, maybe she meant well, but it was none of her business.

This was when Harry realized the conversation was getting too real too fast for him, so he did what he did best: he changed the subject. "What about you?" he asked curiously, raising his head and facing her. "What exactly is happening with you, Student Council President?"

Her expression hardened, obviously irked by the title. "Why do you insist on always calling me that? Are you really that upset that I won?"

"I was at first, but honestly the way you respond to it is amusing, to say the least," he revealed, smirking at her. "But seriously, what's going on with you?"

She looked away, taking a deep breath before answering. "Congenital heart disease." She saw his eyes widen in shock and confusion, and continued to explain further. "I've had it ever since I was a kid. I currently have both a pacemaker and a pill prescription because of it."

He nodded his head, understanding. "So, there's no cure?"

"Not at the moment."

"Did it hurt, getting the pacemaker inserted?"

She pondered that for a moment before answering. "Not really, but it did leave a scar."

_Scar? What does it look like?_

"I can show you if you want," he heard her offer. _Great, so that means he must've said that out loud._ Without much of a second thought, she began unbuttoning her blouse.

His eyes widened. "What are you-"

"Just shut up and look," she interrupted, pulling off her blouse, exposing her peach-colored bra and the scar in the center of her chest. All Harry did was stare at her before realizing she was waiting for him to come over.

"Okay…" Harry replied and reluctantly got up from his seat to sit next to her and get a closer look.

"Holy shit," he exclaimed, taking a seat next to her. It wasn't as big as he thought, but it was significant, looking as though they'd used a knife to carve into her even-toned skin, which upset him to think about.

"It's how they put the pacemaker in," she explained, guiding his hand toward the scar, touching it lightly. "I was asleep for the surgery, so I didn't feel any pain, but I felt the difference afterward. Sometimes the pain flares up whenever I cough, sneeze, or even laugh." After a few seconds, she removed her hand, letting his hand aimlessly brush over the scar. It was a bit more sensitive than the rest of her skin and felt warm to the touch.

This sensation made Cassandra's heart begin the beat faster. She never let anyone outside of her family see her scar, let alone touch it. So why was she allowing Harry to do just that?

Harry hadn't noticed how close their heads were to each other, too busy being distracted by running his fingers over the scar. Cassandra failed to notice as well, catching herself look at Harry's expression as he continued to trace his fingers on her chest.

It looked as if he was lost in thought, admiration almost, but she knew there was no way it could be the latter. _This is Harry Bingham we're talking about._

When their heads accidentally knocked into each other, they both automatically moved their heads back a few centimeters and proceeded to laugh for a bit. It died down, and they were left staring at each other quietly.

"Um, sorry for uh, fondling your chest," Harry said first, breaking the awkward silence.

"Sorry for giving you the wrong idea and stripping in front of you," she countered jokingly.

He smiled at her comment, genuinely amused. "Weirdly enough, I don't think I would've minded."

The blonde froze. She did not expect that reply from Harry's mouth. She didn't even know how to respond to what he'd just said, so she just stared at him.

His eyes stared right back at her, never faulting or looking away. She noticed his eyes were a deep, seductive brown color, and understood why so many girls went crazy for him. They were imploding, inviting her into whatever spell they were casting on her.

Harry felt himself shiver at the beautiful icy blue color of Cassandra's eyes. They seemed cold and at the same time alluring, and he got the sense that she didn't even recognize her own beauty.

Somehow, they began slowly drifted toward each other once again, and Cassandra saw Harry's eyes flicker towards her lips. She was almost certain about what would happen next but made no effort to stop it. Maybe, just maybe, this was what she'd wanted all along….

The door opened, signaling Allie's return, which made Harry and Cassandra separate, and Harry retreat to his spot on the loveseat across from the sofa.

Cassandra let out a breath she didn't know she was holding. She couldn't tell if it was relief or disappointment.

"Sorry I took so long," she said as she locked the door. Turning around and stepping into the living room, she took in her surroundings. "What's going on here?" she asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Nothing," they both stated simultaneously.

"Then why is your top off Cass?"

Cassandra quickly picked up her blouse and began to put it back on and button it. "I was a little hot okay?" She knew Allie wasn't buying it, but thankfully, her sister dropped it.

"I should go," Harry announced, getting up from his seat and heading towards the front door. "The meeting is still happening at the church, right?"

"Wait, you're seriously coming?" Cassandra asked suddenly, cursing her brain for not being able to keep her mouth shut.

He turned around, seeing her hopeful expression and smirked at her. "Yeah, I'll see you there Pressman." And with that, he opened the door and left the house.

Cassandra once again felt her heart rate speed up, and she placed a hand on her chest, mentally willing it to calm down.

"You should probably do something about that," Allie commented.

Cassandra rolled her eyes. "I'm fine. You already gave me my medicine. I just need some rest."

"I wasn't talking about your heart condition, I meant with Harry." she clarified, winking at her.

Baffled, Cassandra scoffed. "What are you talking-"

"Don't play dumb," she retorted before heading upstairs to her room. "I may be younger than you, but I'm not stupid."

Stunned, she watched as her sister ascended the stairs. Never would she have thought her sister would be giving her relationship advice, especially when it included the school's popular rich boy. That wasn't her type. But then again, they did find themselves trapped in a parallel universe, so maybe anything was possible.

Wrapping her blanket around herself and laying back on the couch, she tried to get some rest before the big meeting at the church. She couldn't help feeling a bit more excited about it now she knew that a certain someone would be in attendance. But, she decided that's not a topic she wants to focus on right now; that'll have to wait until another day...

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**A/N: It's my first story for The Society, my way of waiting until s2 drops next year xD **

**If you enjoyed it, leave a review! :)**


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